Turntable for vehicles



Aug. 12, 1930. o. L. COFFEY 9 9 TURNTABLE FOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1930. Q. L. CQFFEY I EJ572355 TURIQTABLE FOR VEHI GLES Filed Sept. 24, 1928 2 sheets-Sheep 2 Patented Aug. 12, 193i) OSCAR L. COFFEY,

PATENT F HARVEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO 'WHITING CORPGRATION, OF; HARVEY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS TURNTABLE FOR VEHICLES Application filed September 24,1928. Serial No. 306,042.

The invention relates to turn-tables and more particularly to the type used in garages and other places for turning vehicles.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to provide a rigid rotatable table, and as'a ve- "hicle is being driven onto the table, the weight of the vehicle is first applied to one marginal portion of the table, which will cause the table to rock vertically about its 1 central support, and lift the opposite portion of the table off its marginal support or track. When the vehicle passes onto the central portion of the table, the lifted portion will be impacted downwardly onto the marginal support, and this renders the use of the table objectionably noisy.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved turn-table of this type which will be noiseless in use or operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved driving mechanism for the turn-table. p

A still further object of the invention is to provide a turn-table of this type which is j eificient in operation and simple in construction.

Theinvention consists in the several nove feaures hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. i

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan of a structure provided with a turn-table em-' 'bodying the invention. Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through the central portion of the table. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the table, the pit being shown in section. Fig.

3 is a vertical section. Fig. dis a section taken on line 4. -4: of Fig. 3.

The invention is exemplified in a building which is provided with a pitlO in the con rigidly secured to the circular beam; transverse beams 17 fixedly secured tothe I-beanis by angle-plates 19, and a series of metal plates 18 extending over and removably bolted to said beams. in annular series with their meeting edges over the beams 15,16. A plate 18 covers the central portion of the table. The margin of the table is supported by a series of pairs of rollers 21 in tandem which are adapt ed to run on a circular rail 22. Each pair of rollers is journalled in a bracket 23. The brackets 23 extend circumferentially under the radial beams 15, 16 in such a manner that said beams bear on the brackets respectivelyfi 1 Each bracket 23 is recessechas at 24, to receive the lower flange of one of the'radial beams, and is provided-with lugs 25 be tween which said flange is confined.

vided with a central abutment 26, on which the lower face of said flange bears. This construction forms a connection between the bracket and the beam which permits the bracket'to slightly tilt vertically, so that the:

load will be equalized on both rollers of a pair, and will also permit the rollers to accommodate themselves to any slight irregularity in the rail 22. Brackets 23 are con fined 1 radially between the circumferential beam 14 and angle plates 27 tired to the underside of transverse beams 17. The inner ends of radial beams 15 are extended to rest upon a flange 29 of a hub 23, BoltsBO e2 tend through the lower flanges of beams 15 to connect them to said hub. A fixed sup porting bracket 31 has fixed therein a pivotpin 32 for the table. Said pin extends through a bushing 33 in the hub 28, so that the table will rotate around said pin to conline the table against lateral movement in the pit. An anti-friction or roller-bearing 34 is provided between hub 28 and bracket 31, being confined in a recess in said bracket. Bolts 36, which are anchored in the bottom of the pit, fixedly secure the bracket 31 in place. Planking 3'? and cork insulation 38 are interposed between the bottom of the pit and bracket 31 and rail In practice, it has been found difiicult to Said plates are arranged i m; bracket 23, below the beam flange, is pro- I SO prevent the table from being tilted vertically when a vehicle is being moved onto the table, because the load is then applied at one side of the table only, and this applies the load stresses so that the diametrically opposite portion of the table will be stressed away from its support. The impact of the portion of the table which has been thus stressed, when the vehicle is moved across the center of the table, produces objectionable noise, In the construction described, the bol*-connections 30 between the radial beams 15 and hub 28, by which the central portion of the table is supported, form a slightly yielding connection which permits the outer ends of the radial beams to sag or flex downwardly relatively to the central portion of the table, without lifting the oppositely disposed marginal portion of the table when the vehicle iscarried by one side-portion of the table. As a result, this objectionable tilting and the noise incident thereto are avoided by this construction. the bolt connections servin to permit the beams at one circumferential portion of the table to be stressed downwardly by the vehicle without lifting the opposite marginal portion of the table. The central plate 18 of the table top is provided with an opening 38 and with a removable cap 39 to provide access to a greasecup 40 for lubricating the bearing 34.

The mechanism for rotating the table con prises an electric motor ll; a reduction gear 42, driven by the motor and of any suitable construction; a drum 43 adapted to bedriven by the reduction gear through a clutch ii of any suitable construction; and acable 4-5 which is trained around said drum and around the circumferential beam l-l of the table. The cable passes from the top of the drum around a guide-sheaveS to said beam i l. and from said beam around a guide-sheave 47, and back to the drum43. An intermediate loop ofthe cable extends from drum 43 around a take-up pulley 48 which is mounted in bearings 49 which are slidably adjustable by screws 50 in. slideways 51, so that any slack in the cable may be taken up to keep the cable taut, and operative to rotate the table. A lever 52 is provided to operate the clutch M. The mechanism for operating the cable is disposed in an extension 10 of the pit 10. The top of this por tion of the pit is closed by a removable plate 53. The bearings for the shaft 12 of thereduction gear 4-2 are mounted on blocks 5 The slideways 51 are mounted on blocks 5 and the bearings for sheaves 46 and l? ar mounted on a block 56. Said block 54, 5;, and 56, are mounted on a plate 57, which is anchored to the bottom of the pit. Planking 58 and cork insulation 59 are interposed between said plate and the bottom of the pit to prevent sound conduction.

Theinvention exemplifies a turn-table for vehicles which is adapted to be mounted in a pit, and in which the outer and inner central portions of the table are sufficiently yielding relatively to one another to keep all marginal portions of the table on their supports, and prevent the vertical tilting of the table and the noise incident thereto; in which brackets carrying pairs of rollers support the marginal portions of the table and distribute or equalize the load between the rollers of each painv and in which the operating mechanism for the table comprises a cable which is wrapped around the circumferential beam of the table.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what; I claim as new and desire, to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable tablecomprising radial beams, a top, and a central hub, a: series of rollers and a circular rail for supporting the margin of the table, a pivotal support for the hub, and a yielding connection between the radial beams and the hub which permits the marginal portion of the; table to remain supported by the rollers when a. vehicle is moved onto the table.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable table comprising a circumferential beam, a top, a central; hub and radial beams between the hub and the circumferential beam, a series of rollers and a circular rail for supportingthe margin of the table, a pivotal support for the hub, and a yielding connection between the. radial beams and the hub which permits the entire marginal portion of the table to remain supported by the rollers when avehicle is moved onto the table.

3. In apparatus of the character described,; the combination of a rotatable table comprising radial beams, a circumferential beam, 21 top, and a central hub, a series ofrrollers and a stationary rail for supporting the margin of the table, a central supporting bracket,

port for the table, a circular railunder the table, brackets engaged by the table, and a pair of rollers mounted in each bracket and engagingthe rail, the brackets being loosely connected to the table to uniformly distribute the load between the rollers of each pair.

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5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable table, comprising beams, and a top, a central pivotal support for the table, a circular rail under the table, brackets, and a pair of rollers mounted in each bracket and engaging the rail, the radial beams bearing on the brackets, the latter being tiltable to uniformly distribute the load between the rollers of each pair.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable table comprising a composite disk-like top, a series of rollers and a circular rail for supporting the marginal portion of the table, and a central support for the table, the table being yieldable between its central and marginal portions so its entire marginalportion will remain supported by the rollers when a vehicle is moved onto the table.

7. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable table comprising a central hub, a top and radially extending I-beams having the inner ends thereof resting on the hub, a series of rollers and a circular rail for supporting the margin of the table, a pivotal support for the hub,

and bolts extending through the bottom flanges of the I-beams and the hub and operating to form a yielding connection between the beams and hub which permits the entire margin of the table to be supported by thg rollers when a vehicle is moved onto the ta le.

of Sept., 1.928.

OSCAR L. COFFEY.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day 

